Concern for welfare of woman whose newborn baby found dead

Police are concerned for the welfare of a woman whose newborn baby was found dead on a beach in Ireland.

A local volunteer cleaning the area found the infant on Balbriggan strand north of Dublin at around 10am on Saturday morning.

Detectives are appealing for the mother of the child to come forward.

A Garda spokesman said: “We are concerned for her safety and health given what she has gone through.”

The baby’s body was removed from the scene.

A post-mortem examination is due to be carried out in the coming days and the force would not speculate on cause of death until that was complete.

Police are concerned for the welfare of a woman whose newborn baby was found dead in Balbriggan (Niall Carson/PA)

Officers appealed for anyone with information to contact them.

The main railway line between Dublin and Belfast runs along the inside of the beach.

It comprises a mixture of sand and shingle coves, close to Balbriggan harbour on Ireland’s picturesque east coast.

Lorraine Clifford-Lee, a senator in Ireland’s upper House of Parliament representing Ireland’s main opposition party Fianna Fail, said: “I’m distraught to learn of the discovery of the body of a baby on Balbriggan Beach today.

“I’d appeal for the mother to come forward for medical treatment. You’ll be treated with compassion.”